Contruction Data

Technical Data

Size:

1652 t

Length:

87,75 m

Beam:

9,90 m

Draft:

3,70 m

Armament:

3 x 10,2 cm; 2 x 3,7 cm; 10 x 2 cm; 4 45 cm torpedos; 20 Mines

Performance:

16000 shp, 25,0 kn

History

Three ships of the Italian Ciclone-class were captured in September 1932 in Portoferrario and Genoa. Being designed as escort vessels, they were first used in the 3rd escort division, later in the 10th T-Flottila at the Italian west coast.

On 15.09.1942 this ship - the Ardito
- escorted the heavy cruiser Bolzano
that was hit by a torpedo. During 1942 this ship did 26 escort missions (italian's and german's cargo-ships from Greece to North of Africa). On 08.09.1943 the ship was at Bastia, it escaped from german troops and went to Portoferraio. It arrived with same damages. During repairs at Portoferraio the ship was captured by Germans and renamed TA26
. The ship was towed to Livorno for repairs. There isn't certain infos about activities under german navy, but probably the ship was used for defending the north of Tirreno Sea. It was sunk by a sabotage act near Rapallo on 06.07.1944.

Other sources say that on 21.06.1944 the ship was badly damaged by American MTBs during a mine laying operation and sunk by TA29
.